


The Monk who Never Bathed

by DarkPhoenixGoddess10



Series: Anne and Richard: Inspired by Fairy Tales [21]
Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-11 05:19:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5615332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkPhoenixGoddess10/pseuds/DarkPhoenixGoddess10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is a monastery lived an eccentric monk who never bathed.</p><p>Once he was a royal duke but also a monster.</p><p>Do you like to know his story?</p><p>Based on Grimm's Fairy Tale "The Devil's Sooty Brother" and a prompt from ladysybil</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Monk who Never Bathed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ladysybil](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladysybil/gifts).



Vampire is a monstrous creature that is supposed to be legendary.

Vampire had no soul; it was a creation of witchcraft that attempted to resurrect the dead. Unlike what was rumored, vampires could age. However, they would live on for an eternity. They were nightly creatures, for sun lights could burn them into ashes. A vampire can return to human form, but in order to do so, that vampire must find a victim to his or her equal status and _sire_ that victim into a vampire. As result, the vampire would return to his or her human form; but that victim would live on as a vampire.

It was said that often, when a clan lost its sole heir, a witch would be hired to resurrect the deceased heir. Then, keeping the revived heir's true status a secret, the clan would find the heir a betrothed. On their wedding night, there would not be any marital consummation. Instead, the vampire groom would bite into the bride's neck and _sire_ her into a vampire. Afterwards, the groom would destroy the bride with the wooden stake that was hidden under the bed curtain.

***

"My share of our family fortune...I deserve it."

She said to her sister evenly.

"And what can you do with it?" Lady Isabel Neville asked. "You can't survive on your own."

"I still trust you, but I don't trust George."

Isabel turned her back to her.

Anne bit her lips and stormed out. Before she left, she said, "Isabel, you are my sister. But remember, you are also my equal. You may be a duchess, but you and I are both Kingmaker's daughters."

Those words made Isabel shiver.

Anne threw on her cloak and her gloves to go for a walk. It was night and the moon was high above in the sky. With her hood over her head, she walked down the street aimlessly. She was full of anger and frustration. The past came back to her like a curse.

_She was used by her father._

The faster she walked, the angrier she was.

She didn't even realize that another man was walking towards her. She bumped into him.

"Sorry," she whispered and hurried away.

That man stared into her back shadow until she disappeared from his sight.

"Lady Anne..."

***

"My lady," a servant bowed to Isabel. "A letter from the Duke of Gloucester."

Isabel opened the letter and frowned. Without a word, she threw the letter into the hearth and watched as it burned.

"What is it?" Anne asked.

"George's brother, Richard; he asks to see you," Isabel said. "You know that's impossible, given your condition."

"You think I want to marry again?" Anne asked back coldly. "You can tell him that I will not see him, not ever!"

With pride, she turned and left.

Isabel's hand went to the cross she wore on her neck.

_Oh father..._

***

As usual, Anne went out for a walk at night. It gave her fresh air and sweet silence.

She didn't know that she was followed.

A litter stopped nearby. Two men, dressed in black, came behind her. Without a warning, they placed a sack over her head and then dragged her into the litter.

"Let me go!" Anne screamed and banged against the litter. "You don't know what you are doing! Let me go!"

She cried and struggled but no avail.

The litter stopped and the two men carried her out of the carriage, with her hands and feet bounded. With that sack over her head, Anne couldn't see anything. The men took her into a dark castle and then threw her on a bed.

Anne heard footsteps.

Someone was coming towards her.

Her feet and hands were untied.

And the sack was removed from her head.

Before her stood a man with dark curls and ivory skin.

"Richard, the Duke of Gloucester," she murmured.

He silently cupped her face; and Anne abruptly turned away.

"Release me! Let me go!" Anne barked.

He only walked out of her chamber and had the door locked.

Anne angrily banged against the door until she was exhausted.

***

The door was opened and a large bathtub was brought in. Anne saw the maids scattered herbs into the tub and had towels and sheets prepared. When Richard came in, the maids curtsied and left the two of them alone.

"Come," he said.

Anne refused to look at him.

"Come," he repeated, with less patience.

She remained on the bed, looking away.

He ran out of patience and pulled her off the bed and onto her feet. His strength was incredible.

"Undress," he ordered.

"What do you going to do to me?"

"I'm going to wash you," he said. "Nothing more."

With his powerful stare, Anne felt as if he was controlling her. With her hand shivering, she reached behind her to unlace her gown. Taking her time, she took her gown off.

"And this too," he said, referring to her last piece of garment.

Holding her breath, Anne took her shift off and crossed her arms to cover her breasts. She was supposed to be shy and modest with her nudity; however, soon she uncrossed her arms and stood still. She only shivered against the cold.

He bent down to remove her slippers. Then, he guided her to step into the tub.

The water was warm and decent. Anne stood as Richard washed and scrubbed her body.

"Arms up," he said.

With some reluctance, Anne did what she was told. She stood in the tub as Richard scrubbed every inch of her body.

"Bent over."

Anne bent her body over as he washed her buttocks.

"Sit."

She sat down in the warm water as he unbraided her hair.

He did do a thorough job in washing her.

After he finished washing her, he dried her and wrapped her into a sheet and carried her to bed. Quietly, he went to fetch a small, fancy bottle of scented oil as the servants carried the bathtub away. He took the sheet away and began to apply the oil on her body. Anne closed her eyes as he rubbed the oil on her and massaged her body. She just laid there while he caressed her breasts and rubbed her nipples.

Her eyes remained closed as he put her into a silky nightgown.

After she heard the door shut, she opened her eyes and climbed out of the bed. A robe trimmed with furs was placed on a chair nearby. Anne threw on the robe over her nightgown and picked up the lamp to look around the chamber. It was a large chamber with a four poster bed and luxurious decorations. There were four doors; three of them were to an antechamber. The main door was locked. Anne inhaled deeply and she could smell the scents from the oil - which Richard had rubbed on her.

She opened the curtain and found the moon was still full and high in the sky.

How much she wanted to be out of here and walk and dance under the moonlight! She put down the lamp and looked out from the window. She watched as the sun was rising.

***

The next morning, the maids came in and drew the curtain open. When they pulled open the bed curtain, they heard a scream.

Anne hid herself under the covers and shook uncontrollably.

"Close the curtains!" She yelled. "Close them!"

Her voice became strong and commanding. Quickly, the maids drew the curtains shut and the chamber became dark again.

New gowns were brought to her, but Anne didn't even look at them.

"Let me be," she said. "I want to sleep more."

The maids curtsied as if she were the mistress of the castle.

Anne lied back down in bed and she was drowsy given she spent most of the night looking around the chamber and out the window. A few hours later, she got off the bed and went to see the gown laid out for her. It was beautifully designed.

The maids came in again and helped her get dressed and changed her bed sheet. Her hair was plaited and jewels were placed on her neck, wrists, and finger.

She was brought to the dining table where food was prepared for her. Richard was nowhere to be seen.

Still, Anne was treated like a princess.

The sun was setting and Richard came to her chamber. Like the day before, he bathed her and massaged her body.

"What do you want with me?" Anne asked after he dressed her in a nightgown.

"You will stay with me," he replied. "I will wash you every night, keeping you clean. After seven years, you may go or stay - it'd be your choice."

_Seven years..._

Anne tried to go after him, but the door was shut between them.

***

And thus began her new life as Richard's captive. It wasn't as bad as she had anticipated. True, she was imprisoned in this castle. But, Richard allowed her much freedom, as long as she remains in the castle. At night, from time to time, she took a walk in the castle's courtyard. Every evening, he would wash her and give her a massage. Despite having her being completely naked before him, he never violated her or showed any attempt to dishonor her.

Overtime, she began to accept their evening rituals.

When he bathed her, Anne didn't know how to explain it, but she was not bothered by it. She was married before, but her now deceased husband never showered her any attention as thus. She couldn't understand why he has to wait for seven years to release her either.

_You may go or stay, the choice is yours._

If she were choose to stay, does it mean that he'd wed her?

But then, a chill came to her heart.

Would she do the same thing to him as her first husband Lancaster had done to her?

If he were to die after he wed me, she thought. Then all of his would be mine.

Still, she couldn't imagine herself to do such a thing.

***

Days passed.

It became week.

Then weeks became months.

And months became years.

Soon, Anne became bored and unhappy with her situation.

"I am sick of this!" She spat. "You come to my chamber to bathe me...and I am a captive in this castle. I want to go."

"You know I cannot allow that."

Angered, Anne marched closer to him. "Do not underestimate me," she warned. "You have no idea what I can do to you."

He looked at her as if he does not believe her.

She grabbed his collar and pulled him close. "Do you know what I can do to you? I can make your life worse than hell...death would be much sweeter..."

He was stunned for a moment.

Then he reached for the curtain.

Instantly, Anne was in pain; she could feel her shoulder burning. She jerked away, fell on the ground, and rubbed her shoulder.

"You think you are the only one?" He asked evenly.

He placed his hand in the light. Anne's eyes widened.

_He too..._

***

"What's your story?" Anne asked as he washed her. "How did you become...like this?"

Richard did not answer her.

"Is that why you brought me here?" Anne continued. "You want to steal my soul and to regain your human form."

"If I truly wanted that," he said. "Then you would've discovered my secret the first day I brought you here."

"Then why? Why did you bring me here?"

"You think it's easy to be a vampire?" Richard asked back. "As a vampire, I cannot go out during the day because the sunlight will burn me. I have no soul, for that's been taken for me. I cannot love." He pulled her up and cupped her breast. "You are naked before me, but why you are not blushing? Why can't you try to protect your modesty? Because you can't feel it!" He pushed her back down. "Once, I was a young man and I know what is like...to love, to feel, to crave. But now, I am only a living corpse, as are you."

After a very long silence, he retrieved the towel and dried her.

"Why are you doing this?" Anne asked. "You wash me every evening. Does it have a meaning?"

Rubbing the oil on her belly, he replied, "My brother the King, he was gravely injured from the battles against the Lancastrians. The Queen's son was still an infant. Using her witchcraft, the Queen revived my brother, and out of my loyalty, I volunteered."

_He allowed King Edward to take his soul but ended up a vampire himself._

"I couldn't live on as a vampire anymore...it's too much. So I went to the Queen and she said that she can make me human again," he went on, assisting her into her nightgown. "Under one condition - that I will take the first maiden I saw that night and that I will keep her clean by bathing her every night. After seven years, if she were to choose to stay with me and proudly declare herself as my wife and duchess, then she will turn me back to human."

He had her turned to lie on her belly so that he could apply oil on her back.

"When my father turned against your brother and fled to Burgundy," Anne muttered, telling her story. "There, he and Margaret of Anjou negotiated and formed an alliance. My father married me to Edward of Lancaster. Only on our wedding night, I found out what he really is. It was so quick that I can barely remember what happened. Only afterwards, I was lying on the bed, cold as a stone with Lancaster holding a wooden stake in his hand. Margaret of Anjou stopped him, saying that they need me for the sake of their alliance with my father."

If Lancaster thought he would be King again after he regained his human form, he was wrong. He was killed on the battlefield along with Anne's father, Earl of Warwick.

"The Queen, how is she going to turn you back into human?" Anne asked.

"She didn't say."

***

Anne did not ask him to release her again. As time went by, she became attached to him. She wouldn't call it love; but it certainly was something.

Finally, seven years had passed. Both Anne and Richard lost a sibling. Isabel had died from consumption and George was executed by the order of the King. The King himself was gravely ill.

"I'll go with you," Anne told him. "I will tell the Queen that I am willing to marry you."

"Anne..."

"If it can turn you back to human, it's worth it for me."

"The Queen can only turn me back into human, but she cannot do the same for you."

"It does not matter-"

"It will matter," Richard insisted. "To me."

"Either way, I will remain a vampire," Anne said. "If I go with you, at least you can gain your soul back."

"But I can't be human again without you," Richard said.

"Seeing you live on like this and forfeiting a chance to liberate yourself is not going to make me any happier," Anne said. "Take me to the Queen."

After some hesitation, Richard called for the litter and horses.

***

After they came to London, they were surprised to find the King live and well. His health was good if not great; he even looked like he were reborn.

"I like to introduce Lady Anne, my fiancée," Richard said as Anne curtsied. "I like her to meet the Queen."

"The Queen is dead," the King replied.

Richard was shocked. "What happened? When?"

"She was gone a few days before your arrival."

Richard looked at the King and then asked, "Did she sacrifice her soul for you?"

Anne was alarmed.

"Richard, you are clever," the King laughed bitterly. "I was dying and my Prince of Wales was barely twelve. England cannot be ruled by a boy king and I have to save our house, the House of York. Henry Tudor has launched his invasion upon hearing that I am to die. But to his disappointment, the golden giant liveth yet."

"The Queen did love you," Richard said. "She is the mother of your children. But you killed her."

"I did not!" The King insisted. "Lisabeth couldn't live with herself. She resurrected me from death and I took her soul because she is the only one who is to my equal - my queen, my queen of England. Three days after I sired her, she stepped out into the sun and burned herself into dusts."

"She had told me that if I take a maiden and keep her for seven years, and if she were choose to stay with me, then she'll turn me back to human."

The King burst out laughing. "You think I will allow that? Who can you sire in order for you to be human again? My oldest son or my second son?" Taking a goblet of wine, the King went on, "You still have a chance, little brother, to be human again. Tudor is invading from Burgundy and I have made him a royal duke. He too has royal blood in his veins. You can say that he is to your equal."

***

The night before Richard's departure for war, Anne sat with Richard and neither could mutter a word.

"I never liked the Queen," Richard finally said. "But she did love him. She would give everything she had for him. I can never imagine that he..."

"You are his loyal brother and gave your soul for him," Anne said. "But does he care for you?"

"Possibly," he replied. "Henry Tudor's soul...perhaps this is the best way for it to end. I wonder if Elizabeth truly has a way to return me to human...other than offer the soul of her own sons."

After a long, painful silence, Anne muttered, "You must go Richard, before sunrise. But before you go, there's something I must do for you."

A tub of hot, steaming water was prepared; and Anne added herbs into it. She went to Richard and unbuttoned his doublet. After relieved him from his clothes, she had him sit in the tub as she washed and scrubbed him - just like how he bathed her every evening for seven years.

"Join me," he said.

Anne nodded and removed her clothes.

Soon, she had his head rested against her breasts as she washed his tight muscles.

"You must wait for me," he said. "If I win, I will come back for you and take you away from here."

"If you are human again, would you still willing to wed a monster like me?"

"Anne, vampire or not, you are the most humane individual in my life."

They held onto each other. Although as vampires, they did not have the lusts for each other; but there was certainly something between them.

After they finished bathing, Richard armed himself. Before his departure, he took her hand and said, "Look out from the window at night. If I won, you will see a white banner. If I lose, you will see a red one."

***

Anne looked out the window every night.

Finally, one night, she saw a banner.

And it was red, like the Lancastrian red rose.

Anne closed her eyes but no tear came out.

Without Richard, she would continue to live on as a vampire. For her, there is no meaning to it.

She walked out into the courtyard and waited until sunrise.

She spread out her arms as the sunlight burned her body into dusts.

***

King Edward IV sat proudly in this throne as the final victor of the wars between York and Lancaster. Richard successfully defeated Henry Tudor in battle and took his soul. Henry Tudor was chained on a stake and burned into ashes in the sunlight. The King couldn't be more pleased when Richard returned to London on a white horse in the bright sunlight.

"Where's Anne?"

That was the first thing he asked since his return.

Solemnly, the King presented him an ash box.

"No..." Richard shivered. Then he hatefully glared at the King.

"Dickon," the King tried to be calm, knowing that he couldn't hide the truth from him. "I'm doing what's the best for you. The Lancastrian forces are crushed and you are a royal duke. You need a duchess and I don't want a monster in our family."

"But you married Elizabeth."

"Lisabeth was a witch but still human," the King said. "But look how she ended. I want to spare you from such a pain. I rather you blame me than blaming yourself."

He placed the ash box in Richard's hand.

"You will marry again, Dickon," the King told him. "Lady Margaret Beaufort, I need her to be on our side. You will gain significant wealth by marrying her."

Richard said nothing.

_Anne may be a vampire, but she was more humane than the King._

***

On the day of betrothal ceremony between Richard Duke of Gloucester and Lady Margaret Beaufort, the groom was noticeably absent. The King had sent valets and messengers to find him, but Richard was nowhere to be found.

In her red gown, Lady Margaret Beaufort tried to keep her dignity despite being humiliated.

Finally, a messenger came and presented a letter to the King.

***

Meanwhile, in a monastery, Richard, in a dark robe, was in his prayers. For the remainder of his life, he would spend it in this monastery as a monk. He had forfeited his titles and wealth. He refused to take a bath, ever. By the time of his death, he was known as an eccentric monk who never bathed.

**Author's Note:**

> If you like to read the original fairy tale: http://www.grimmstories.com/en/grimm_fairy-tales/the_devils_sooty_brother
> 
> The theme of the original fairy tale centered on "deal with the devil". In this fic, it came with a twist. In the original fairy tale, the soldier agreed not to bathe, cut hair, and cut fingernails during his seven years of service. In the fic, however, Richard gave Anne a bath every evening as part of his pact with Elizabeth (the witch). 
> 
> Comments please!


End file.
